Metal-insulator-metal capacitor structure

Abstract

A capacitor structure in a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, an isolation region having a top surface and a bottom surface, opposite the top surface, the bottom surface of the isolation region being disposed on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The capacitor structure also includes a gate terminal structure disposed on the top surface of the isolation region and a diffusion contact structure disposed on the top surface of the isolation region and arranged parallel to the gate terminal structure. In some aspects, the gate terminal structure is connected to a first contact node and the diffusion contact structure is connected to a second contact node, in which the first and second contact nodes form opposing nodes of the capacitor structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A capacitor structure in a semiconductor device, the capacitor structure comprising:
 a semiconductor substrate; 
 a first isolation layer disposed on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate; 
 a first gate terminal structure disposed on a top surface of the first isolation layer; 
 a first contact structure disposed over the first isolation layer and in contact with a sidewall of the first gate terminal structure; 
 an etch-stop structure disposed on a top surface of the first gate terminal structure; and 
 a second isolation layer disposed on a top surface of the etch-stop structure, the first contact structure extending through the second isolation layer and contacting the etch-stop structure, 
 wherein the first gate terminal structure is connected to a first contact node and the first contact structure is connected to a second contact node, wherein the first and second contact nodes form opposing nodes of the capacitor structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The capacitor structure of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second gate terminal structure disposed on the top surface of the first isolation layer; and 
 a second contact structure disposed on the top surface of the first isolation layer and arranged between the first and second gate terminal structures, 
 wherein the first and second gate terminal structures are laterally separated by the first and second contact structures along a lateral axis, wherein the first and second contact structures have an elongated shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the lateral axis. 
 
     
     
       3. The capacitor structure of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second gate terminal structures comprises:
 a first wall spacer; 
 a second wall spacer opposite of the first wall spacer; and 
 a gate filler disposed between the first and second wall spacers, wherein:
 the etch-stop structure is disposed adjacent to the gate filler and the first and second wall spacers, 
 each of the first and second contact structures has a first sidewall surface and a second sidewall surface opposite of the first sidewall surface, and 
 the second sidewall surface of the first contact structure and the first sidewall surface of the second contact structure are disposed adjacent to the etch-stop structure and the first and second wall spacers of one of the first and second gate terminal structures. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The capacitor structure of  claim 2 , wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a plurality of fin-shaped structures formed at the top surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the plurality of fin-shaped structures are spaced apart in the direction perpendicular to the lateral axis, and wherein the first and second contact structures are disposed over and across the plurality of fin-shaped structures. 
     
     
       5. The capacitor structure of  claim 2 , further comprising first contacts formed on opposite ends of the first and second gate terminal structures and second contacts formed on the first and second contact structures with the first contacts of adjacent gate terminal structures being aligned and the second contacts of adjacent contact structures being staggered of one another. 
     
     
       6. The capacitor structure of  claim 5 , Wherein the first and second contact structures are arranged between the opposite ends of the first and second gate terminal structures, and wherein a length of the first and second contact structures is less than a length of the first and second gate terminal structures. 
     
     
       7. The capacitor structure of  claim 2 , further comprising first contacts formed on centered locations of the first and second gate terminal structures and second contacts formed on centered locations of the first and second contact structures with the first contacts of adjacent gate terminal structures being aligned and the second contacts of adjacent contact structures being aligned. 
     
     
       8. The capacitor structure of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second contact structures are staggered from the first and second gate terminal structures. 
     
     
       9. The capacitor structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a third isolation layer disposed on the first isolation layer and in contact with the first contact structure, the second isolation layer contacting a top surface of the third isolation layer. 
     
     
       10. A capacitor structure in a semiconductor device, the capacitor structure comprising:
 a semiconductor substrate; 
 a first isolation layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the first isolation layer disposed on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate; 
 a first gate terminal structure disposed on the top surface of the first isolation layer; 
 a second gate terminal structure disposed on the top surface of the first isolation layer; and 
 a first contact structure disposed over the top surface of the first isolation layer; 
 an etch-stop structure disposed on a top surface of the first and second gate terminal structures: and 
 a second isolation layer disposed on a top surface of the etch-stop structure, the first contact structure extending through the second isolation layer and contacting the etch-stop structure, wherein at least a portion of the first contact structure is disposed between the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure and in contact with sidewalls of the first and second gate terminal structures, wherein the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure are connected to respective first contact nodes and the first contact structure is connected to a second contact node, and wherein the respective first contact nodes and the second contact node form opposing nodes of the capacitor structure. 
 
     
     
       11. The capacitor structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first contact structure is arranged parallel to the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure. 
     
     
       12. The capacitor structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first contact structure is arranged across the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure. 
     
     
       13. The capacitor structure of  claim 12 , wherein the first contact structure has a length extending substantially from first ends of the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure to second ends of the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure. 
     
     
       14. The capacitor structure of  claim 12 , further comprising a second contact structure, wherein the second contact structure is arranged parallel to the first contact structure. 
     
     
       15. The capacitor structure of  claim 14 , wherein the first contact structure and the second contact structure are arranged between first ends of the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure and second ends of the first gate terminal structure and the second gate terminal structure. 
     
     
       16. The capacitor structure of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first gate terminal structure or the second gate terminal structure comprises:
 a first wall spacer; 
 a second wall spacer opposite of the first wall spacer, and 
 a gate filler disposed between the first and second wall spacers, 
 wherein the etch-stop structure is disposed on and adjacent to the gate filler and the first and second wall spacers, and 
 wherein the first contact structure is disposed adjacent to the etch-stop structure and the first and second wall spacers. 
 
     
     
       17. The capacitor structure of  claim 10 , wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a plurality of fin-shaped structures formed at the top surface of the semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
       18. The capacitor structure of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second contact structure disposed on the top surface of the first isolation layer and arranged between the first and second gate terminal structures, 
 wherein the first and second gate terminal structures are laterally separated by the first and second contact structures along a lateral axis, wherein each of the first and second contact structures has an elongated shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the lateral axis. 
 
     
     
       19. The capacitor structure of  claim 18 , further comprising first contacts formed on opposite ends of the first and second gate terminal structures and second contacts formed on the first and second contact structures with the first contacts of adjacent gate terminal structures being aligned and the second contacts of adjacent contact structures being staggered of one another. 
     
     
       20. The capacitor structure of  claim 10 , further comprising a third isolation layer disposed on the first isolation layer and in contact with the contact structure, the second isolation layer contacting a top surface of the third isolation layer. 
     
     
       21. A capacitor structure in a semiconductor device, the capacitor structure comprising:
 a semiconductor substrate; 
 a first isolation layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate; 
 a gate terminal structure disposed on the first isolation layer; and 
 a contact structure disposed on the first isolation layer; 
 an etch-stop structure disposed on a top surface of the gate terminal structure; and 
 a second isolation layer disposed on a top surface of the etch-stop structure, the contact structure extending through the second isolation layer and contacting the etch-stop structure, wherein at least a portion of the contact structure is in contact with a sidewall of the gate terminal structure, wherein the gate terminal structure is connected to a first contact node and the contact structure is connected to a second contact node, and wherein the first contact node and the second contact node form opposing nodes of the capacitor structure.